Another Briton, auction house valuer Joe Bampton, 40, and his Hungarian-born girlfriend Suzanna Gyetvai, 34, from Clapham, south London, were among those who died.

The disaster happened yesterday on an early morning "sunrise" tourist flight over the ancient Valley of the Kings near Luxor, Egypt.

A gas cannister on the balloon exloded at 1,000ft eyewitnesses said.

Horrified onlookers filmed the unfolding disaster on their mobile phones.

Suddenly the smoking balloon crashed to the ground - in a sugar cane field - killing all but two of those on board.

The balloon's "pilot" and adventure-loving Mr Rennie, a construction worker from Perth, Scotland, were among those who leapt for their lives at about 300ft.

Others jumped from the height of a seven-storey building.

Last night Mr Rennie was visited at Luxor International Hospital by British ambassador to Egypt James Watt who revealed the Scot was in "remarkably good shape". He might even be released from hospital soon.

Distraught neighbours said the couple had been together for years but only married recently.

Linda Kettles described them as "very, very nice people", adding: "I'm totally devastated."

Pals were also mourning Joe and Suzanna, who worked together in Chelsea, West London.

One said: "They were two people very much in love and a lovely couple. This is a tragedy."

Two of the dead were French and nine Chinese. Others were from Belgium, Hungary and Japan.

Tour firm Thomas Cook called the accident "a terrible tragedy".

The firm's UK and Europe chief executive Peter Fankhauser said: "The thoughts of everyone at Thomas Cook are with our guests, their family and friends."

The death toll is believed to be the highest ever in a hot air balloon accident.